Happy 5th Birthday Adelaide!

Today is Adelaide's 5th birthday, only she doesn't know it.  Her birthday party is going to be Friday, and I tried to explain to her that her real birthday and party were on two separate days but that conversation never ended well. We eventually gave up and have been claiming that Friday is the 18th and her real birthday.

Adelaide is the cutest and sweetest girl you could ask for and I feel so lucky to be her mom, although sometimes the way she explains life to me makes me feel like she is my mom.  She is consistently instructing myself and those around her how to do things effectively and knows what she wants.  I'm grateful she was born in a time when women are encouraged to follow their dreams, because she has many and I can't wait to see what she does with her life.  She often repeats that she "can be whatever she wants" and I hope she never loses that confidence and motivation.

This last year she has grown up so much and is so creative, smart and kind.  She loves to do crafts: painting, coloring, decorating with stickers, making jewelry, creating forts and playing with chalk.  She likes us to dictate how to spell out things; her latest masterpiece was a letter to the baby that said, "I love duh baby."  Adelaide enjoys dressing up (and dressing up others- see Grandpa's earrings below...), dancing, riding her bike or scooter to the park, counting money, swimming, going to the beach, camping, shopping at the farmers market, visiting the temple,  holding babies, spending time with family, being crazy with Maverick, going to church, tea parties, fairyland, the boardwalk, having playdates with friends, doing "homework," finding snails, making new friends at the gym kids club, getting mail, princess stories, watching movies, picking flowers, wearing fake tattoos, making muffins and donuts, picking produce from our garden, engaging in deep conversation, changing her outfit multiple times a day, collecting rocks and flowers, and listening to stories.  She still hates when the sun gets in her eyes and cannot be trusted with scissors (she cut off her and Maverick's hair earlier this year but is rocking the short hair look). She is so full of life and makes everyday an adventure. I honestly cannot believe she is five already, it seems like yesterday that we were celebrating her first birthday!

I've enjoyed sharing some childhood past times with Adelaide.. she has my old bitty baby that she often plays with, some polly pockets that I got suckered into buying once I spotted them on e-bay, the pretty pretty princess and hi-ho cherrio games, iron on bead shapes, barbies, and I'm sure there is more I just can't think of right now.  I'm glad there are so many classic toys out there that keep on giving.  It is so fun for me to have a little girl to do all the fun girly things with, I loved throwing her birthday party last year and am excited for this Friday's "Frozen" movie night in the park with a few of her friends and family.  She has been excited to tell us exactly what she wants (nail painting, crown making, fake tattoos, etc.)

Happy Birthday to my little miss Adelaide. I can't wait to celebrate you this Friday. Here are some fun pics of you from this past year that make me smile. xoxo.

Dear Baby Boy

I am so excited that you are almost here! Your "due date" is August 27th (just two weeks away!) but who knows when you will actually come.  On the one hand I am so excited to meet you and see what you look like and see what your disposition is, but on the other, I have a lot of things to get done before you arrive (buy diapers, make your bed, wash your clothes, buy my birth supplies, etc).   I was going to get all of that done this past weekend but I caught a cold and then your dad went to a youth camp so I haven't had a chance yet.

This pregnancy has probably been my hardest due to life circumstances (which still hasn't been too bad, I'm a lucky one in pregnancy). I got in a car accident with your aunt Jessica that resulted in some minor physical injuries like lots of headaches and some post traumatic stress and depression afterwards.  We moved (which is always a little stressful!) from a cute condo that one of Adelaide's friends called our "treehouse" to a great four bedroom house with a little yard for you and the kids to run around in.  Someone I consider to be a friend, Kate Kelly, has been excommunicated for following her heart and trying to make our church a more equal place for women, leaving me feeling quite discouraged about our church.  Some friends and family have "unfriended" me for sharing my views and my heart and I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt. There have been a few other things that have been hard for me during this pregnancy that I don't want to write about now, but I just want you to know that when I've been feeling down I try to instead think of you, and the thought of you always makes me feel happy and at peace.  To borrow imagery from Maya Angelou, you have been a rainbow to me on my cloudy days.

There has also been a lot of happiness during your pregnancy.  I planted my first real garden (and it is doing awesome!) Maverick is mostly potty-trained (it is nice to have a little break from poopy diapers before you get here). Aunt Jessica, aunt Meg and Mimi Michelle threw me an adorable baby shower in your honor where you were gifted the most adorable clothes, blankets and everyone helped to make you an alphabet block set.  It was so nice to spend a night with so many women that I love and look up to. I have been growing my food blog, and having a great time cooking new meals for our family.  I found an amazing midwife, Judy, to help bring you into the world.  We went camping in Yosemite.  We took lots of trips to the beach and the boardwalk.  Aunt Meg and Benj brought a baby cousin into the world, Vera, and I was honored to be able to be there for her birth.  Aunt Jessica moved in with us.  I had a ten year graduation anniversary trip with some of my best girlfriends to Redondo beach.  I have fallen in love with yoga and swimming.  Adelaide was in her first dance recital.  Maverick has begun really talking and by the sound of it will never stop. We have taken some day trips to places like Fairyland, San Francisco and Monterey. You dad has been helping me make the house the way we want it as nesting has kicked in and we have a nightly ritual of watching Seinfeld or Suits before bed.  I get a little intense during pregnancy and your dad seems to always know how to help me chill out and smile.

So, as you can see, your pregnancy has been a time of ups and downs, that is just life I guess.  Through it all I have often thought of the lyrics to the song "I Get to be the One" by JJ Heller and I just can't express how excited I am to be your mom:

Well hello,
Little baby.
Your eyes have never seen the sun
You should know
Little baby
That I am the lucky one

I get to be the one to hold your hand
I get to be the one.
Through birthdays and broken bones
I'll be there to watch you grow
I get to be the one.

Don't feel alone now,Little baby.
Do you hear me singing you a song
I can't wait to show you
Little baby
How to crawl
How to walk
And how to run

I get to be the one to hold your hand
I get to be the one.
Through birthdays and broken bones
I'll be there to watch you grow
I get to be the one.

How does someone so small
Hold my heart so tightly
I don't even know you 
I love you completely

I get to be the one to hold your hand
I get to be the one.
Through birthdays and broken bones
I'll be there to watch you grow
I get to be the one to hold your hand
I get to be the one.
Through birthdays and broken bones
I'll be there to watch you grow
I get to be the one.

This was on Mother's Day. I love being a mom to Mav and Adelaide and can't wait to be yours too. 

I love you completely. XOXO

Mommy Daughter Date

Adelaide and I went on a little date together earlier this year and had the best time shopping at the mall, eating frozen yogurt and picking out candy.  Adelaide's just about the cutest girl ever and I feel lucky to be her mom.

Happy Thanksgiving

As I reflect on my blessings I am especially grateful for my beautiful family and feel a little sad that I have not been better about documenting our adventures here on the blog for safe keeping.  I just unloaded a couple thousand pictures from my iphone and my goal is to transfer some of them to this blog before the new year, and be better about blogging our adventures in 2014.

Grateful for these three and frozen yogurt of course

Zoorific Day

People close to me know that I'm not a fan of zoos for a variety of reasons, but I sucked it up and took my kids this week with our friend Emily and her three cute kids.  It actually turned out to be really fun (for us at least... I'm not so sure the captive animals living in small spaces while squishy faces observed them all day would agree).

Maverick really liked the tortoises and bears.  Maverick would take a while to visually locate the animals but you could always tell once he did because he would start pointing or waving at the animal... it was precious.  Maverick was pretty hurt when he was barred due to his height from riding all the rides outside the park besides the carousel and train- he wants to do everything his big sister does.

When I asked Adelaide what animals she liked the best she said "the birds, the snakes and the monkeys... all of them!"  Adelaide also loved playing in the little animal statue fixtures throughout the zoo and the train and rides right outside. She did NOT like visiting the goat barn! She put on her diva face the whole time we were hanging out with them and kept yelling "Let's go... these stink.  It smells so bad, it hurts my nose!" Of course there was a little bit of stomping her feet to go with it.  

Emily is a great photographer and she sent me some cute pictures from the day:

Happy Birthday to Me!

Now I am 27, Happy Birthday to me! Today was a great day... I woke up to my sweet little family singing me happy birthday in bed, during Adelaide's preschool Maverick and I did some damage at Anthropologie, after preschool the kids and I met up with Rick downtown and we went for a walk and had a picnic, after work Rick brought home some ice cream sandwiches for dessert and the night is still young!

Adelaide learned how to take pictures on my new phone today

Ice Cream Sandwiches are the best!

Can this sexy man fit 27 candles on this mini dessert?

Success!

Nothing better than having little helpers to blow out your candles.

This past year has been pretty awesome. Here are some things I have {re}learned while 26:

Listening is almost always better than talking

Tea parties are lovely

Organizing saves time in the long run

Eating on patios with twinkle lights is the best

Fear of judgment is powerful yet pointless

Judging others is a waste of time

Having phone reception is important 

Doubt can be a gift

Faith is a choice

Natural deodorant doesn't work

Forgiveness is powerful

I can make it a whole year without seeing my sister

Good friends love you unconditionally

I want to go back to school

It is near impossible to control children; teaching, encouragement and positive reinforcement is the way to go with my kids.

Community is important

I am privileged in many ways and want to give back to the world

I'd rather be filled with wonder than anger

Homemade ice cream is so much better than store bought (even Ben & Jerry's!)

Coconut oil is like magic... so many uses

I can do hard things

I'm married to a seriously wonderful person

My children are capable of learning and teaching amazing things

Here's to another great year of life. 

Dust if you Must

I came across this poem today and I love it! 

Dust if you must.

But wouldn't it be better,

To paint a picture, or write a letter,

Bake a cake, or plant a seed?

Ponder the difference between want and need.

Dust if you must.

But there is not much time

With rivers to swim and mountains to climb!

Music to hear, and books to read,

Friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must.

But the world's out there

With the sun in your eyes, 

the wind in your hair,

A flutter of snow, a shower of rain.

This day will not come round again.

Dust if you must.

But bear in mind,

Old age will come and it's not kind.

And when you go, and go you must,

You, yourself, will make more dust.

-Rose Milligan

Sometimes it is easy for me to get caught up in making sure my house is tidy, the laundry is all clean, the dishes are all done, and any number of important but not-so-important things.  This poem is a great reminder for me to find a better balance in my life of both chores and enjoyment.  The house will never be completely clean, the laundry will never be totally done and there will always be more dishes... but my kids will only be kids for so long and the sun will only be shining for so many hours.